Beautiful Alayna came in for her “newborn” session today … she is 6 months old.  To say that I feel honoured to have the opportunity to capture these priceless images would be a gross understatement!  Alayna truly is a miracle!
I asked if her mom Veronica would be willing to share her story …

“David and I were elated to find out we were pregnant last February and celebrated every day of my pregnancy. We waited the full 12 weeks to announce the news thinking that after 12 weeks you are safe to tell the world. Unfortunately we were wrong. Our baby girl Alayna was unexpectedly brought into the world at 25 weeks and 1 day, 1.5 pounds and 28 cm long.  Though the 6 month NICU journey was a crazy, uncertain, and frightening one, we came out stronger as a family. There are truly no words that can even come close to the feeling of being home with our baby girl. 181 days, 4,326 hours & 21,600 kilometres driving back and forth to the hospital, many tears shed, heart surgery, hernia repair surgery, one paralyzed vocal chord, four blood transfusions, 2 infections , Chronic Lung Disease, countless eye exams,  swallow studies, many specialists telling us the worst outcomes, she’s been poked more times than I can count. But it’s finally all over. Alayna truly is a miracle baby and we are so blessed she chose us to be her parents. No matter how painful this journey was, we would do it all over again to have her here. To think she was a tiny 1.5 pound baby and taking her home seemed like a dream. What a journey it has been. ❤️

We have a beautiful, thriving & sassy little girl who is stronger than any grown adult I know. Every second we have with her, every day she succeeds, is a day to be grateful.

Having a baby in the NICU means your “norm” that you lived day to day is abruptly changed to a life you never imagined. The job you love, the routine you were comfortable in, and the way you spend your free time changes within a moment and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Having a baby in the NICU means you dread going to sleep at night in fear of being woken up by a phone call from the hospital. Feeling constantly heart broken and guilty for leaving your baby behind because you are not allowed to stay with them. Only seeing your daughter for the first time 10 hours after birth. Waiting 14 days to hold your baby for the first time. Learning a foreign language that you never intended to. At times screaming for help while your daughter turns blue. Being told countless of times that “today isn’t a good day to get her out for a cuddle because she didn’t have a good day.” Mentally keeping note how many days it’s been since you were able to hold your baby. Having a baby in the NICU is not being able to walk more than a three feet diameter for months on end because she’s hooked up to breathing support. Having a baby in the NICU means waiting for that day the drs say you’re allowed to take your baby home.”